The Port Chester Clippers were an American

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nor ...

baseball team based in Port Chester, New York. In 1947 and 1948, the Clippers hosted home games at Empire Stadium and played exclusively as members of the Class B level Colonial League, winning the 1948 championship. The 1948 Port Chester Clippers were a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Browns.

History

Minor league baseball began in Port Chester, New York in 1947 when the Port Chester "Clippers" became members of the six–team Class B level Colonial League. After folding in 1915, the Colonial League reformed in 1947. The

Bridgeport Bees Bridgeport is the List of municipalities in Connecticut, most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the List of cities by population in New England, fifth-most populous ...

New London Raiders The New London Raiders were a minor league baseball team based in New London, Connecticut that played in the Colonial League. Brothers Theodore Laviano and Dr. Gerald Laviano owned and operated the team. The Raiders were the first professional ba ...

Poughkeepsie Giants Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie ...

, Stamford Bombers and

Waterbury Timers Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut on the Naugatuck River, southwest of Hartford and northeast of New York City. Waterbury is the second-largest city in New Haven County, Connecticut. According to the 2020 US Census, in 2 ...

joined Port Chester as members of the reformed league, beginning play on May 7, 1947. The Port Chester use of the "Clippers" moniker corresponds with local industry and history. The city was noted to have been an important shipbuilding center with a valued port, which spurred local industry. Steamship service between Port Chester and New York City began in 1870. 1948 Port Chester Clippers Baseball Team

1948 Port Chester Clippers Baseball Team

In their first season of play, the Port Chester Clippers placed 5th in the Colonial League. The Clippers finished the 1947 regular season with a record of 51–71, playing under manager

Al Barillari Alfred V. Barillari (July 4, 1917 – June 25, 2000) was a New York State–born minor league baseball pitcher and multi-positional non-pitcher, minor league manager, scout for the Cleveland Indians and National Basketball Association referee. Play ...

and missing the four–team playoffs. Port Chester finished 32.5 games behind the pennant winning Waterbury Timers in the regular season standings.

Connie Creeden Cornelius Stephen Creeden (July 21, 1915 – November 30, 1969) was an American professional baseball player. He played five games in Major League Baseball with the Boston Braves in 1943. Biography A native of Danvers, Massachusetts, Creeden a ...

of Port Chester won the Colonial League batting title, hitting .395. Creeden also led the league with 153 hits and was selected to the 1947 Colonial League All–Star team. In their final season of play, the 1948 Port Chester Clippers became a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Browns and won the Colonial League championship. In the 1948 regular season, the Clippers on the pennant, as their 85–35 record placed 1st in the regular season, playing under returning manager Al Barillari. Port Chester finished 9.0 games ahead of the 2nd place

Poughkeepsie Chiefs Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie ...

in the final regular season standings, which ended on September 7, 1948. In the 1948 playoffs, Port Chester defeated the Waterbury Indians 4 games to 1 to advance. In the Finals, the Clippers defeated the Poughkeepsie Chiefs 4 games to 1 to capture the championship. Pitcher Guy Coleman of Port Chester led the league with 17 wins, while teammate Paul Wargo had 158 strikeouts to lead the Colonial League. Guy Coleman (P), Joe Mellendick (OF), John Miggins (2B), John Pluchino (C), Gary Ruttkay (SS) and Paul Wargo (P) were selected to the Colonial League All-Star team. In 1948, Port Chester Clipper Carlos Bernier was reportedly one of six black players in organized baseball to begin the season.

Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line ...

, Larry Doby, Roy Campanella, Hank Thompson and

Dan Bankhead Daniel Robert Bankhead (May 3, 1920 – May 2, 1976) was the first African American pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played in Negro league baseball for the Birmingham Black Barons and the Memphis Red Sox from 1940 to 1947, then played for ...

were noted to be the other players, as Bernier played his first season of minor league baseball. Other black players began play during the 1948 season. During the 1948 season, Bernier was struck by a pitch that fractured his skull and gave him chronic headaches for the remainder of his life. Also during the season, Bernier was suspended 6 games and fined $25 for an altercation with an umpire. On September 19, 1948 he reportedly hit an inside the park home run in a Finals game against the Poughkeepsie Chiefs. Despite winning the 1948 championship, Port Chester did not return to the 1949 Colonial League. The Bridgeport Bees also did not return to the league, which added the Bristol Owls and Kingston Colonials as new franchises replacing Port Chester and Bridgeport. Al Barillari managed the championship Bristol team in 1949. Port Chester, New York has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Port Chester Clippers teams hosted minor league home games at Empire Stadium. The ballpark reportedly had a capacity of 3,500. Mill Bridge PC jeh

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

(1947–1948, MGR) *

Ed Boland Edward John Boland (April 18, 1908 – February 5, 1993) was a Major League Baseball right fielder who played for three seasons. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1934 to 1935. After a hiatus from the majors, he returned and played for ...

(1948) * Carlos Bernier (1948) *

Chet Covington Chester Rogers Covington (November 6, 1910 – June 11, 1976) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1944. The 33-year-old rookie, recipient of ''The Sporting News'' Minor League Player of the Year Awa ...

(1948) *

(1947) * Joe Murray (1947) *

Frankie Pack Frank Pack (April 10, 1928 – January 26, 2000) was an American Major League Baseball player who pinch hit in one game for the St. Louis Browns on June 5, . External links 1928 births 2000 deaths St. Louis Browns players Baseball play ...

(1948)

References

{{Reflist

External links

Baseball Reference
St. Louis Browns minor league affiliates Baseball teams established in 1947 Baseball teams disestablished in 1948 Port Chester, New York Colonial League teams